Embracing principles over processes

By Jesper Schreiner, Senior Consultant in Project and Programme Management

The project management community is currently experiencing a growing interest in principle-based approaches to managing projects. This trend has been highlighted, among other things, by the release of the 7th edition of PMI’s Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) in 2021, marking a fundamental shift from process-based to principle-based project management.

This growing trend and interest are somewhat surprising and, therefore, particularly intriguing. Fundamentally, there is nothing revolutionary about principle-based project management models. PRINCE2, first launched in 1997, was “born” as a principle-based project management model.

What Does Principle-Based Project Management Mean?

A principle-based approach focuses on letting overarching values and goals guide actions and decisions – instead of adhering to detailed rules and procedures. For example, a principle-based approach to corporate management might involve basing decisions on principles such as honesty, accountability, and transparency.

Principles act as guiding stars, setting the direction without locking the project into rigid structures. This provides project managers with the freedom to adapt as needed – a freedom that is increasingly important in a world marked by complexity and unpredictability.

Advantages of a Principle-Based Approach

One of the most notable advantages of a principle-based approach is increased flexibility. Principles allow for tailored solutions to specific contexts, which means the project can adapt to dynamic and unpredictable environments without losing its overall focus.

This flexibility also makes it easier to navigate projects with high levels of uncertainty. 

This is a clear advantage in complex projects, where it is often impossible to predict all scenarios in advance.

Moreover, a principle-based approach supports a more agile and value-driven project culture. When decisions are based on overarching goals and values, the project can more quickly adapt to changes in stakeholder needs or market demands. At the same time, it fosters a holistic approach, where the focus is not just on delivering on time and within budget but also on creating real impact and satisfied stakeholders.

Principles can also serve as a common language for project participants. Principles promote a shared understanding of what is important and make it easier to prioritize in a busy daily schedule, focusing on the values and goals that truly make a difference.

As a mindset and guide, principles allow project managers to operate at a higher level of abstraction within broader frameworks, which provides space for creativity and strategic thinking while maintaining visions and goals.

Why the Growing Interest Now?

As mentioned earlier, PRINCE2, launched more than 25 years ago and one of the world's most widespread project management models, is characterized by its 7 fundamental principles and was thus born principle-based. So why are we only now experiencing this growing interest in principle-based approaches to project management?

While explanation number one would mean that the entire project world has overlooked and almost misunderstood the principle-based concept, number two seems like a more plausible reason for the growing interest among contemporary project managers. A need for a larger and more abstract “playing field” with room to be flexible and adaptable, and thus free from sharp edges and rigid rules about what one must, should, and can do in the pursuit of project management success.

We still need frameworks and an appropriate level of control, but these frameworks should be broader, with softer edges that support and enable value-based guiding principles, visions, and overarching goals. 

The Half Double Methodology – A Modern, Principle-Based, and Hybrid Project Management Model

The Half Double Methodology was “born” as a modern, principle-based, and hybrid approach to project management, with the following 3 fundamental principles forming the foundation of its 3 core elements:

The IMPACT Principle: Stakeholder satisfaction is the ultimate success criterion.

The FLOW Principle: High intensity and frequent interaction ensure continuous progress.

The LEADERSHIP Principle: Embrace uncertainty and make the project succeed.

The fourth core element of the Half Double Methodology is Local Translation of Half Double, acknowledging the principle that “All organizations are different, and Half Double must be tailored to the specific context.”

However, adapting Half Double in practice can “only” involve tailoring the methodology’s methods and associated tools. The three core elements – Impact, Flow & Leadership – and their corresponding principles are so fundamental and defining for Half Double that they cannot be adapted. They are fundamental to the Half Double Methodology.